


Orange Leaves

by madsmeetsmisha



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha Hannibal Lecter, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Don't copy to another site, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Exhibitionism, Fluff and Smut, Forbidden Love, I don't give permission to show this fic on any other site or app than AO3 or wattpad, Jealousy, Knotting, M/M, Masturbation, Mating, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Will Graham, Omegaverse, Pining, Regent Hannibal, Regent/Slave AU, Secret Relationship, Slave Will, Slow Burn, True Mates, Violence, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2020-12-09 18:48:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20999606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madsmeetsmisha/pseuds/madsmeetsmisha
Summary: And then it hit him like a ton of bricks. The man in front of him was an Alpha and the smell came from him!Holy mother Machbra! This was his mate! This stranger, who would kill him either in the next few minutes or in the evening at the ceremony, was his true mate!Will almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation. His mate would kill him and he wouldn’t even know who he was.(Or: In order to show himself worthy again to rule over his people for another five years, Hannibal had to participate in the ceremony. The rules were simple. Whoever killed the most slaves in the end would rule. Will was one of the slaves. . .)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thatwasamazing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwasamazing/gifts).

> This fic is a request and a gift to my dear friend @thatwasamazing, who writes the Doctor AU Opportunity for me. (You should read it, it is amazing!)  
So, thank you for your idea and the tags. I love to write this!!!  
She also corrected my mistakes. Thank you dear, it is really helpful to have a native beta-reader! ^.^  
I also want to thank @diemetzgermeisterin for her encouragement and her help! I was a bit nervous about this because in my opinion @thatwasamazing is one of the best writers I know. So I really needed someone to cheer me up and tell me that I can do this!  
I hope you all enjoy my little fic. Please let me know what you think!  
(I don't give permission to show this fic on any other site or app than AO3 or wattpad)

Hannibal felt the wet leaves under his bare feet and enjoyed running through the woods without shoes. Of course, he was not allowed to explore the entire forest. He was in a part that was shielded for him. It was for his own safety, like Captain Verger never got tired of telling him. In reality this meant that yes, it was true that no one could come in, but he wasn’t able to get out either. This part of the forest bordered directly on the ceremonial forest, which of course was also fenced in.

Actually he should turn back to prepare for the ceremony, but today it was especially difficult for him to get away from the orange leaves, the peace, and the fresh air. He was not afraid of the ceremony, although most of his people's rituals were barbaric. The ceremony was one of the worst. Some regents had already given their lives in the process, but Hannibal knew he was an excellent fighter. And he never made the mistake of underestimating the enemy. He would take part in the ceremony for the fourth time tonight and like always he intended to win and rule his people for another five years.

He heard voices from afar. He really should go back. But the voices didn't sound like his servants? Increasingly he heard shouting voices and the jangle from soldiers running around in their metallic uniforms. 

He was about to head back to his chambers when he heard a noise behind him. Startled, he turned around. Completely unarmed, he now stood before a stranger. His heart was beating like crazy. It was rare for anyone to be able to sneak up on him like that. He must have been really deep in his thoughts. And above all, he must have made the mistake of feeling safe. A mistake that had already cost many men their lives. While Hannibal thought about it he scrutinized the other man more closely. Fortunately, he also seemed unarmed. However, Hannibal knew that this did not always mean that he wasn't dangerous. The man seemed to be younger than himself. His hair was curly brown and his eyes seemed unable to decide whether they wanted to be grey, blue, or green. It was fascinating. Only now Hannibal noticed that the young man wore only short brown pants.

Slave clothes! 

The stranger was a slave! A slave who now stood in front of him without his face mask. How scandalous! And fascinating. The facial features of the slave were even. One might say he was beautiful. The poor man stood in front of him, completely frozen. Hannibal was sure that he had to be one of those slaves who would be sacrificed tonight. What a waste! The man would have made an excellent love slave. Unfortunately only Omegas were used for love slaves. This man had to be a Beta because Hannibal couldn't recognize a typical Alpha or Omega Scent.

Had the slave tried to escape? But this part of the forest was fenced? The poor man must have thought he would get away through the forest. 

If he had made it to the gates on the other side of the castle he would have had a real chance. That's where the peasants’ fields began. He could have easily found a place to hide between the plants. Of course, he would first have to pass the guards and that was almost impossible. Nevertheless, the way through the forest was a dead end. 

Hannibal heard footsteps approaching quickly. Captain Verger must have moved out with all his soldiers. Because of a single slave? That was highly unusual.

"The mask!" Hannibal whispered to the stranger. Just in time before the guards showed up the slave put on the plain brown mask. If he had been found without a mask, the soldiers would have cut off his head immediately. No regent was allowed to see the face of those slaves that were intended for the ceremony. Fortunately, the slave had managed to put on his mask. It would have been very sad if the guards had killed him right away.

Somehow Hannibal was looking forward to watching the beautiful slave fight for his life. Hannibal had seen the intelligence in his eyes. Perhaps the man would even succeed in eliminating one of Hannibal's opponents. Hannibal loved it when one of his challengers was killed by one of the unarmed slaves. He always imagined their surprise when they realized that they would now die at the hands of a simple unarmed slave. Only idiots would lull themselves into safety because the enemy apparently had no weapon. Many people were able to kill with their bare hands. Hannibal had a feeling that the slave in front of him was one of those people. Maybe he was even good enough to survive and become his servant.

"Seize the slave!" Captain Verger thundered behind him.

"Forgive our intrusion into your forest, your Highness. The slave tried to escape. Like there's a way out of here." The captain seemed almost amused.

He shook his head and looked at the slave with mild disbelief. Hannibal was sure that not many slaves dared to flee. Even fewer survived their attempt to escape.

"You will have another chance to meet the Regent in the woods tonight, slave. However, it will then also be the last thing you will see," the captain laughed.

Two of the soldiers pulled the slave into their midst and dragged him along with them.

"Captain Verger!" Hannibal called.

Surprised, the captain turned around.

"Your Highness. Is there anything else I can do for you?" he asked submissively.

"Yes, there is something indeed. I count on you not to harm the slave. I want him to have the same chance as everyone else. That means no punishment! I hope I made myself clear. That's an order," Hannibal requested. 

He knew the captain all too well. Verger was a good fighter, but he was cruel. Hannibal was sure that he would have killed the slave himself had the poor man not been selected for the ceremony. Since that wasn't possible, at least Verger would have tortured him.

Surprised, the captain lifted an eyebrow and looked at Hannibal.

"It's no fun killing someone who's already down, Captain. I prefer my prey upright, preferably when they flee from me," Hannibal explained and Verger gave him a knowing smile.

***

Will could only hope that the plan would work, that he would be able to buy Abigail enough time. If she made it outside the gates, she had a chance. Will had thought it all through. Immediately after the first change of guards, the market women were allowed into the inner courtyard. They always were on the day before the full moon, even if this day was the ceremony day. About the same time when the women set up their booths, the slaves would be divided for the ceremony.

Mostly Betas would be needed for the ceremony. The older or unsightly Omegas would either be killed immediately or used for servant services. However, their scent glands would be removed so they wouldn't have heats any more. It was barbaric. Alphas were sent to the mines. It was like a gift from the Gods that the slaves here were almost exclusively fed with Loppos berries. Loppos berries were natural scent blockers. Will now spent his time rubbing himself with his spare food so that no one would notice that he was an Omega. The only problem was that Loppos berries didn't prevent heats. But Will was sure he wouldn't live long enough to experience his next heat, so it wasn't important anymore. 

Right now all that mattered was freeing his sister. Now that slaves were being assigned and the market women began to populate the courtyard with their loud chatter, Will knew it was time. He looked at his sister and nodded to her briefly to give her a sign. Thank God no one bothered to separate the slaves by sex. They were just all crammed into the same dungeon. That was extremely questionable from a hygienic point of view, but in their case it was an advantage because it allowed them to prepare the plan.

Will hadn't told Abigail that there was no escape for him. He had to stay and provide a distraction so that no one would come up with the idea of looking for Abigail. His sister was instructed to grab one of the colourful shawls during all the chaos, which would cover her brown slave costume. Will hoped that the market women would have to leave the courtyard again because of the turmoil and that Abigail could go with them without anyone noticing. That was the plan. It wasn't extraordinary or special. There hadn't been enough time, but Will knew that simple plans usually worked best anyway. All he had to do was to stay alive until Abigail could hide her slave clothes with the shawl.

Will knew that thankfully he didn't even have to try to run to the market women and knock over one of their booths. The guards would have shot him down with an arrow in a heartbeat. That's why he had the idea of starting the tumult among the slaves himself. They wouldn't shoot into the crowd of slaves. The Sartagien society was dependent on slaves. They couldn't afford to lose good workers. They also had their ceremony that evening and needed enough Betas. Maybe they would try to catch and kill him, but with a little luck there would be enough chaos by then.

He took another deep breath and then started screaming at two of his neighbouring slaves. He didn't hit them, but he pushed them so that they fell to the ground. He continued to make his way through the rows of slaves, knocking them over one by one. Other slaves soon followed his example. They must have thought he was trying to escape and wanted to follow him. In a very short time a big uproar arose. This went even better than he had imagined. Some of the slaves tried to run to the gates, while others began to reach the booths and tried to hide there. From the corner of his eye, he saw Abigail sneaking her way to the stands. He also noticed one of the soldiers lifting his bow and pointing it at her. No! As fast as he could, Will ran towards the bowman and threw him to the ground. Now that he had the attention of most soldiers, Abigail managed to grab one of the blue cloths and was no longer recognizable as a slave. Will could only hope that the plan would succeed and that she really would make it outside. Now he could only flee into the closed forest and hope that as many soldiers as possible would follow him. 

When he entered the wood, he was once again irritated by the orange colour. A forest should only be orange in autumn, but in Sartagos it was so hot that almost only bonra-trees grew and they had orange foliage. It was irritating. Under other circumstances Will might have liked it, but right now he hated it. 

This part of the forest was incredibly quiet. Will closed his eyes for a brief moment. and then he noticed a scent. It smelled like pine and campfire and home. Will groaned when a wave of homesickness hit him. He knew he would never see his home again, never roam the green forests of Antos again. He would never see his father and Beverly again. And he would never see his beloved sister again.

He must have been lost in his thoughts, because at first he didn’t recognize the man in front of him. He was wearing black leggings and a dark red coat. When he turned around Will saw that the stranger wasn't wearing a top under his coat. He didn't have any shoes on either. Although the man seemed to be unarmed, a dangerous aura emanated from him. Will was sure he was one of the participants in the ceremony. And then it hit him like a ton of bricks. The man in front of him was an Alpha and the smell came from him! 

Holy mother Machbra! 

This was his mate! 

This stranger, who would kill him either in the next few minutes or in the evening at the ceremony, was his true mate! 

Will almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation. His mate would kill him and he wouldn’t even know who he was.

  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Hannibal clapped his hands. Immediately four young servants appeared out of nowhere. They gently led him into one of the large bathrooms, where the heavy, sweet steam of Raspuras oil clouded his senses. He enjoyed being washed before the ceremony. It was as if he could gather all the strength for the fight. He was stripped and led into the large basin embedded in the ground. Two of the servants climbed into the milky water together with him. 

Like a leaden cloud, the fragrant oil settled in his head. Almost submissive, he let himself float in the fragrant water while the servants did their work carefully. When he had his head half underwater there was peaceful silence. Completely relaxed, he looked at the high ceiling which was decorated with golden and blood-red ornaments. Between the decorations, he recognized the relief-like outlines of Skrullas. The ceremony was dedicated to these sacred animals. A sign of blooming royal power. Skrullas were animals that were very similar to scorpions in shape. However, Skrullas weren't arachnids, but mammals without poisonous stings. With their appearance they could trick opponents. The sacred animals lived in a remarkably complex social structure. For example, they did not kill their prey immediately to eat it, but only anaesthetized it. The male who had caught most of the prey during the mating season not only got all the females of a community but was also allowed to distribute the food. It often happened that rivals went away empty-handed and starved to death. It was strange that it didn't hunt something to eat on its own. Basically, the ceremony worked in a similar way. The slaves were released in a fenced forest and Hannibal and his opponents had to kill as many of the slaves as possible. With the first glimmers of the sun the next morning, the fight was over. The contender with the most Scrulla-masks of his victims would rule for the next five years. Should some slaves survive the night, they had to fight against each other until only one remained. The winner was going to become the servant of the regent. A cruel but effective method to see who was the strongest man in the country and which of the slaves was perhaps worthy to be his servant.

When the intoxicating effect of the bathing steam had faded and Hannibal was sitting in his dressing room, dozens of servants buzzed around him. When they finished dressing him, he was a perfect image of royal power. The ornaments on his chest armour shone as golden as his sword.

This was always the time when he became the most restless. Hannibal hated waiting for the fight. He only calmed down again when the litter bearers finally arrived.

More than ready to begin the ceremony, he let himself be carried to the festivities in the golden litter.

When he arrived at the overcrowded fairground, the mumbling of the crowd stopped and absolute silence suddenly prevailed.

Then the drums began to beat and his opponents were carried along. There were five men from higher families this time. He never had this many rivals, before but not all of them were dangerous. 

There was Frederic Chilton. The heir of the Chilton line had unsuccessfully tried to defeat Hannibal three times. This would be the fourth time. Hannibal wasn't worried about him. Then there was Abel Gideon. He had already tried to compete against Hannibal at the last ceremony. He was no real danger either. But this year three new faces were added. First, Tobias Budge and Randal Tier, two young men from the north of the empire. And then there was Francis Dolarhyde, who was also called the Red Dragon.

Dolarhyde was known for his cruelty and his deceit. Hannibal had wondered why he had not competed against him the last time. Scouts had told him that he had trained a lot, so Dolarhyde was certainly the most serious opponent.

At first barely audible, the rhythm of the drummers swelled more and more, becoming more penetrating and louder. Then the slaves appeared at the large fairground. They were bound together at their arms and legs and dressed in bright red trousers and tunics.

Their faces were hidden behind the red and gold Scrulla masks. On their own Hannibal's eyes searched the rows of slaves. Finally, his gaze fell on a slave with brown curls. That had to be the man.

Maybe it was because he had seen the face of one of the slaves for the first time before the ceremony, maybe it was also because he didn't want his rivals to take the mask off the beautiful slave, but whatever it was, Hannibal decided at that moment that he would do everything in his power to make sure that this slave would survive the night. 

Astonished by this thought but also deeply satisfied with his decision, he leaned back in his sedan chair and watched the dancers line up.

The ecstatic dances had begun. The drums were whirling louder and louder. Around twenty dancers told the ceremony in their own artful way. 

When the daggers flashed in the flickering light of the torches and the dancers dressed as slaves fell to the ground, expectant silence reigned. The drums had stopped. The dancers stood up again and bowed their heads, ready for their applause.

Five little girls, barely older than six years then approached the opponents of the ceremonies. They proudly balanced the weapons that the men had chosen. Hannibal had decided as always for a beautifully decorated ceremonial dagger, but for the first time he had also asked for bow and arrow.

All five men took their weapons and a thunderous cheer arose.

Hannibal caught himself as his gaze shifted to the beautiful slave again. Why did this man fascinate him so much? He was only a slave, and even if Hannibal intended to protect him, the chance that he would succeed wasn't exactly high.

Again the drums began to play and under deafening cries of the audience as the palanquins of the opponents were carried to the forest.

They were followed by the slaves and the captain with his soldiers, as well as the servants. Even the dancers and the drummers followed to the ceremonial forest like a procession. All the other people would celebrate until dawn when the opponents presented their collected masks and the winner would get the royal insignia. If there were surviving slaves, the fight would take place right there. The winner would leave with the new Regent right after. 

When the whole entourage arrived at the ceremony forest, the servants freed the slaves from their handcuffs to give them a small lead. Within a very short time, they had all disappeared into the forest. Only when the horn sounded did the five opponents start to follow them. The ceremony had started. 

****

Through the eyeholes of his mask, Will watched the five opponents. Of course, his gaze fell at first on the man who was his true mate. He was incredibly handsome with his striking cheekbones and dark eyes, slightly tanned skin. He probably trained outdoors. His brown leather armour showed elaborate golden ornaments. Only now did Will realize that he had to be the reigning regent, Hannibal Lecter. The priestess of his clan, Bedelia Du Maurier, had often told them about the man. According to her descriptions, he was a cruel but fair ruler. Every wrong step of his subjects was punished. Of course, 

Will was aware that the entire Sartagien society had been accustomed to violence. The Sartagien people had always been mainly warriors. This also made them dependent on neighbouring countries such as Antos, where agriculture was the main activity. Sartagien warriors had to eat something. Sartagos was a rich country because of its raids, so they were able to pay well. But even though they were aggressive plunderers, they never attacked Antos. It would be stupid to rob your own granary. After all, they also needed something to eat in the future. That Will and Abigail ended up as slaves was Will's fault. He had not paid attention and had accidentally crossed the border to Ordos to pick mushrooms. Maybe it wasn't truly accidentally. There was a place where he knew the best mushrooms would grow. He was there very often in the past. Never, not once had he met anybody there in the woods. Not one single soul. But this time it was different. Soldiers came along and everybody knew that Sartager warriors were not known for asking first when they took slaves. That was the reason for his and his sister's predicament.

He wondered what it would mean that he had one of these men as his true mate. The Regent of Sartagos of all people!

Will was sure that Hannibal Lecter would win this ceremony. There was only one of his opponents who could become dangerous and that was the man to Hannibal's left. The other slaves had begun to murmur when he was carried in. Apparently he was called the Red Dragon. Will realized at first glance that the man was evil through and through, but also that he worshipped Hannibal Lecter in a weird way. The rules of the ceremony said that the opponents were not allowed to hurt each other, but Will was not sure if the Red Dragon would abide by this rule. Suddenly Will was afraid for his true mate. Even if it was more than ridiculous. Why should he care what happened to his true mate? Will would certainly not survive this night. In spite of the order, Captain Verger had, of course, punished him. His attempt to escape had brought him five lashes. 

Will was sure that there would have been at least ten lashes if his true mate hadn't given the order. But even so, Will was much too weakened by the pain to have a chance to survive. Nevertheless, the action was worth it. Abigail had managed to escape and apparently it hadn't even caught the eye of anyone because of all the chaos. At least he hadn't heard anything about it and the guards were always chatting in front of their dungeon, probably to dispel their boredom. It was certainly not very exciting to guard a horde of chained and imprisoned slaves. They would certainly have mentioned if someone was missing. So his sister had made it outside unseen. If she made it from the fields to the river unnoticed too, she would be saved. He could only pray that this was the case.

Will took a deep breath and forced his body to calm down. He had managed the most important thing. Abigail would be able to return home. There was no point in worrying about himself or his true mate. Hannibal Lecter was someone who was used to killing. He was certainly intelligent and strong enough to defend himself against the Red Dragon.

When the servants came to untie the slaves, Will's heart began to race again. Apparently, he couldn't get his body to just give up.

And so he ran with all the other slaves into the now dark forest. Most of the other slaves looked around for things they could use as weapons and then hid behind trees or rocks. Will decided to climb one of the higher trees. He chose a whole group of Bonratrees whose branches began further up. This made it not easy to climb them, which was an advantage because the opponents with all their weapons would need their time to get up there. Will would have enough time to escape to the neighbouring trees. At the top, the foliage was quite dense, so Will hoped that he would not be discovered from below.

Soon he started to climb up the rather smooth trunk. With his aching back it wasn't easy, but he made it. For a long time he sat up there, the shining full moon above him and the leaves rustling in the wind. It was almost peaceful if the screams of the dying slaves had not been heard again and again in between.

Shortly after midnight, he heard someone panting hard while running in his direction. It was one of the slaves with whom he had spoken briefly in the dungeon. Franklin was his name. Will was honestly surprised that the heavy man was still alive. He must have found a good hiding place too, from which he had apparently been expelled. Not far from the group of trees in which Will sat Franklin was caught by one of the opponents and thrown to the ground. Will waited for the poor man's screams, but nothing came. Instead, the opponent suddenly began to talk to the slave.

"I've saved your life three times tonight. It's time you finally fulfill what you're supposed to do, slave!"

"I...it's not easy to get Hannibal Lecter, sir." Franklin tried to defend himself.

"The reason I chose you for this assignment is because you look defenceless, slave. Lecter won't expect you to attack him. Especially not with the knife I gave you. Do your job, and I'll make sure you survive the night," the opponent requested.

Will could almost feel the lie. Franklin couldn't have been that stupid.

But it probably had less to do with stupidity than with despair. Even he had noticed how much the body clung to every straw when it came to survival. Therefore he now sat in the crown of a Bonratree.

"Stay here and admit defeat when Lecter comes. If he's close enough, you'll stab him. I have to go. If I don't kill enough slaves, it's no use outwitting Lecter. Then another opponent sits in the throne," he said and hurried away. 

Before he disappeared into the darkness of the night, the man turned around once more. "And don't forget, if you don't kill him and are still alive the next time I meet you, your death will certainly not be short and painless," he said in a threatening voice.

Franklin gasped and leaned back against a tree trunk. He smelled so intensely of fear and sweat that he would surely attract all opponents with his scent alone. Will was once again grateful for the Loppos berries, which concealed not only his Omega scent but also everything else.

And really, Franklin's odour worked wonders. As if he had summoned him, a few moments later Hannibal Lecter actually came up to his tree.

Will smelled him before he saw his silhouette.

Slowly his true mate approached Franklin, who stood there like a hypnotized rabbit. It was painful to watch. Will instinctively knew that the trick would succeed. Hannibal was lulled to safety. Not for a second would the Alpha think that this slave, stinking of fear and despair, had a weapon. Will held his breath. Even though Hannibal Lecter was his true mate, he was the cruel ruler of Sartagos. It was absurd trying to help the man. And yet it was all that Will could think about. In his desperation, he picked one of the large heavy cones from the tree. When the Regent was standing close enough in front of Franklin, Will saw the knife flashing in the moonlight for a moment and he let the cone slide out of his hand. When it hit the ground just beside the two men with a loud noise, Franklin dropped the knife because of sheer shock and only then Hannibal recognized what the slave had planned. Angrily, the Regent grabbed him by the throat.

"Where'd you get the knife?" he yelled.

"I...I found it." Franklin stuttered.

"Oh, no, I don't believe you. So far all the opponents are still alive and I don't think one of them dropped a knife. So where'd you get it? Only one of the opponents could have given it to you. Who was it?"

From Franklin's rattle, Will recognized that Hannibal was now pressing his hand tighter around the slave's neck.

"Tob...Tobias Budge. It was Tobias Budge," Franklin gasped. Hannibal immediately let go of him.

Will could smell the fury that raged in his true mate.

Only now did the Regent seem to notice the cone lying on the ground next to the knife. Slowly he picked both up and looked up in Will's direction.

Will held his breath. Had Lecter spotted him? The odds were high. Will knew from stories that the man had eagle eyes. So Will had given up his cover to save the man who was about to kill him. What a mess!

He was astonished that he felt completely calm. He wouldn't fight back. Not against this man. Maybe he was lucky and it would go fast, maybe even nearly painless.

Hannibal sighed deeply and looked back at Franklin, who suddenly seemed to have the power over his limbs again and ran away. The Regent took his bow and stretched an arrow. He hit the escaping man with the first shot. Will was sure that the Alpha would now turn the bow against him, but that didn't happen. Maybe he hadn't seen him after all.

Hannibal took the quiver from his shoulders and laid it with the bow on the ground under Will's tree.

How could Will be sure if this was a trap or a gift? Maybe the Regent just thought that he wouldn't strike him in the dark and wanted to lure him from the tree? Or he had realized that Will had saved his life and wanted to thank him?

Will didn't know. He'd probably have to take that chance if he wanted the bow. He waited some time after Hannibal Lecter had left and cautiously climbed down. Quickly he grabbed the weapon and groaned as he strapped the quiver on his back.

The wounds from the lashes rubbed unpleasantly against the hard material through the thin fabric of his tunic. But he needed both hands to climb up the tree again, so he had to put both the quiver and the bow on his back. With gritted teeth Will managed to reach the protective foliage. He realized that for the first time he now had a real chance to survive this night. With that bow, he was able to shoot anyone who approached his tree.


	3. Chapter 3

  
When Hannibal passed by the chubby dead slave, he grabbed the slave’s mask and fastened it, like all the others, on his belt. Tobias Budge had really dared to get a slave to attack him! He plans to kill that opponent as soon as the ceremony is over, refusing to allow such an act to go unpunished. Hannibal could only hope that Francis Dolarhyde would not succeed in collecting more masks than he did. Damn it! This little incident had caused him to lose time. Although this was already the eighth mask he collected, and had he not spared the slave in the tree, it would have been nine. It was completely atypical for Hannibal to spare a slave, let alone give him a weapon to help him, but the slave had saved his life. 

Without the falling cone, Tobias Budge's slave would have at least managed to hurt him with the blade, if not worse. He would never have had a chance with a stab wound, so he was indebted to the slave in the tree. Hannibal hadn't seen him, but he was sure it was the beautiful young man he met in the afternoon. 

Again Hannibal was surprised to realize that he wanted the man to survive, although his chances weren't exactly good, even with the bow. Not long after the moon went down, the fireflies usually started buzzing around. This was the most exciting but also the deadliest time of the ceremony night.

All slaves still alive suddenly became visible to their enemies. It was almost magical. Fireflies loved warmth. Just as night-horse-moths felt attracted to the light, fireflies could not resist human body heat. They would buzz around every living human body they could find in the forest - well, almost every living human body. At least they would buzz around the slaves, because just like Hannibal himself, the other opponents had certainly had the foresight to prepare for the situation. It was easy to keep the small glowing insects off your back by rubbing yourself with something that smelled sour. The leaves of the Fiongeu bushes were just as suitable for this purpose as the ointments made from them. But it was also possible to just use vinegar, as Fiongeur balm was very expensive. However, the poor slaves had neither access to vinegar nor to the leaves of the Fiongeu bushes, and certainly not to the expensive ointment. The famous plants only grow in colder regions like Antos or Caldar. There were small Fiongeur farms in the north of Sartagos, but only in higher areas. The plant was so popular because it had a strong anti-inflammatory effect. 

If the slaves had had the opportunity to rub themselves with the leaves, then some of them would surely have succeeded in hiding until sunrise, especially if the Fiongeur leaves would grow naturally in the forest. The plants spread a sour smell and therefore the opponents would not notice the slaves if they themselves smelled sour; they would be almost invisible in the dark night. The fireflies not only made them visible, but they also made them shining targets.

The opponents didn't have this problem because all of them were prepared, and the beta noses of the slaves wouldn't be able to smell anything. 

The thought that even the beautiful slave would become a shining target in the black night filled Hannibal with a sadness he could not understand.

Slowly it became pitch black in the forest. As if they had only waited for the last rays of the shining moon to disappear behind the mountains, they suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Thousands of small light globes floated over the forest floor and slowly rose higher and higher. 

Hannibal had already been fascinated by the magical spectacle as a child. As he grew older and attended the ceremony, he had learned to appreciate the small insects. After all, they helped him find his prey much faster. This was the first time he wasn't happy to see them. With shivers down his spine, he thought of how desperate the slave in the tree would be if he realized that the fireflies would become his doom. Hannibal forced himself to banish the thought from his mind. He didn't have time to worry about anything he couldn't change anyway. He had done everything he could to give the young man a fair chance. He had to leave the rest to fate. Who knew what the gods were up to? Sometimes slaves did manage to survive the night of the ceremony. That was before Hannibal's time, though. In all the years that he was Regent, he had never been able to take a slave of the ceremony as a servant. Not once.

***

Will felt that he was getting tired. The adrenaline had left his body for the moment while he was not in immediate danger. The cries of the other slaves died away. Will was sure that most of them were already dead and the few that were left like him had hopefully found a good hiding place. If there were any survivors this year, he would have to fight them. That would probably be his end. With the deep wounds on his back, he wouldn't be a serious opponent in a fight of life and death.

But he didn't want to think about that at the moment. 

The moon had already set behind the distant mountains of his homeland. He wondered if he would ever see them close up again. As soon as the forest was shrouded in deep black, Will saw small illuminated dots coming out of their hiding places. Thousands of them whirred around within a very short time, enveloping the forest floor in a fine yellowish light. It had to be fireflies. Will had heard that the small glowing insects in Sartagos were increasing in numbers. In his homeland, they were seen flying through the night only sporadically. Here they came in swarms. 

Their performance was fascinating and beautiful but would cost Will his life if he didn't come up with an ingenious idea quickly. He knew that like many insects, fireflies were attracted to heat. The idea that he was suddenly enveloped by thousands of small insects was frightening. He'd glow like a fireball. Anyone would be able to see him. 

Damn it! He knew that the shining insects didn't like two things: smoke and the sour smell of the Fiongeu bush. When they were little, he and Abigail often caught fireflies in glasses for the summer solstice.

Of course, they released them afterwards. 

Back then, Will had discovered that the insects fled from them when they had collected Fiongeu bush leaves first. Also when their clothes smelled like the smoke of the summer campfire, they had little chance of catching fireflies. So it looked as if the little bugs didn't like these smells, but he had neither one nor the other available right now. Will knew that he had to think of something very fast because the first fireflies were already buzzing around him. 

But what was he supposed to do? He remembered that there were tiny bubbleflies that, unlike fireflies, felt attracted to sour smells. Will's father had once forgotten to cover the vinegar and the next morning they found many of the little red insects floating dead in the liquid. Exactly this kind of fly always buzzed around Fiongeu bushes. And Abigail had once discovered that they also loved the sour smell of spit on the skin when she tried to alleviate the itching of a mosquito bite with her own spit and recognized that three of the harmless flies sat down there. Maybe that was the solution? Maybe he was lucky and bubbleflies behaved exactly opposite to fireflies? Maybe the sour smell of his own spit would be enough to scare them off? 

Instantly he took off his mask and started to rub every part of skin he was able to reach with as much spit as possible. All he could do was pray it would work. Otherwise, he would be a shining target in a few minutes. After a few breathless moments, he realized that it actually worked. The fireflies floated past him. However, the effect did not last long, so he was forced to constantly renew the layer of spit, but at least it worked.

And, he would at least stay busy and not fall asleep during the following hours and slip from the tree. He diligently repeated the procedure over and over again. Fortunately, his body produced enough of the fluid. 

Will had lost all sense of time, but it seemed to him like half an eternity later when he heard someone coming nearer. His whole body immediately went on alert. Already after a few moments, Will realized that it was one of the slaves. Entirely brightly illuminated by all the fireflies and beating wildly around himself, he approached the path to Will's tree. He cursed quietly and tried in vain to keep the small insects from settling on him.

Will didn't know what to do. Should the very visible slave attract opponents, Will would be at risk of being discovered too. Even though he didn't shine as brightly as the poor man beneath him, everyone could still see the isolated insects that sat on him again and again when he wasn't quick enough to apply a new layer of spit. So it was of utmost importance that the slave stayed as far away from his tree as possible. Without hesitation, Will took an arrow from the quiver and shot the slave right in the heart. If there was one thing Will was good at, it was archery. With this gift and with his love for fishing, he had provided for his family. He could only hope that somehow they could make it without him, but he was sure that the community would not allow them to starve. The poor illuminated slave went down with a dull moan.

The fireflies buzzed away briefly, but then they sat down again on corpse. Will knew they would lose interest within hours when the slave's body heat dropped. Fortunately, the dead body was far enough away from his tree so that no one would see him. It would be a pure coincidence if someone discovered him. Some time later the same happened again and Will was forced to shoot another slave. He didn't even regret it because he knew the men wouldn't have survived anyway. 

***

Hannibal knew that the first rays of sunlight were not far away and the horn would sound soon. He wandered aimlessly through the forest and didn't notice at first that his feet were carrying him in the direction where he had left his bow. He stopped for a moment. Did he really want to see the body of the beautiful slave lying on the ground under the tree? The thought caused a hopeless feeling in his chest and he wondered why he reacted this strong to the fate of a simple slave. 

He had killed nineteen of them today. He knew it probably wasn't enough. He had found both Budge's and Gideon's bodies in the undergrowth. Of course they might have been killed by slaves, but Hannibal doubted it. Somehow he had the feeling that one of the opponents was responsible for their death. Anyway, the masks the two opponents had collected had disappeared. That alone wasn't much of a surprise.

Hannibal himself would have taken them if they had still hung on their belts, but someone was faster. Shortly before Hannibal got to the place where he had almost been attacked by the small chubby slave, he saw two more slaves lying dead on the ground. Their bodies couldn't be cold yet because fireflies were still sitting on them. But the most interesting thing was that they both still had their masks on, so it was unlikely that they had been killed by an opponent. Completely astonished, Hannibal looked at the tree in which he last saw the beautiful slave, but he didn't notice anything unusual. 

If the young man was still sitting in the tree, he would be visible and brightly lit. 

Unless...unless he found a way to keep the fireflies away. But how? That was odd. The two slaves were certainly killed by Hannibal's arrow. Hannibal got closer to the tree, but he couldn't see anything. The bow was no longer on the ground beneath the tree. The slave must have taken it right after Hannibal was gone. But there were no traces of a fight, and to Hannibal's great relief there was no corpse on the ground. It seemed like the slave was still sitting up there, but how was that possible without being wrapped in fireflies? 

Thoughtfully, he looked up. He saw a few fireflies buzzing around, but everything else was black. But suddenly he smelled it, a fine sourish smell. 

Of course! Hannibal had to laugh quietly. Such a clever boy! 

Hannibal would never have thought of it by himself, but the slave had the glorious idea of using spit. Of course this would work! It was as simple as it was brilliant. The spit of a healthy person actually smelled like nothing, but when applied to the skin it smelled slightly acidic.

Hannibal's heart beat faster. The slave had survived! He didn't know why the fact made him so happy, but at the moment he was just infinitely relieved. Grinning, he went back to the two dead slaves and was about to take off their masks when he heard something rustling in the bushes. Only seconds later he felt a stabbing pain in his side and a weight pushed him to the ground. He was undoubtedly attacked, and since the attacker smelled of Alpha Hannibal was sure that it was one of the opponents. 

Had Budge and Gideon died like this? Attacked by one of the opponents who had ambushed them like a wild animal? It was quite possible. Hannibal tried with all his might to defend himself, but he was already hurt and that weakened him. 

Somewhere in the background he heard a dull sound as if someone had jumped from a great height, but Hannibal didn't have time to think about it. He was too busy dodging the attacker's sharp teeth, which now tried to bite him. When Hannibal already thought the other man would succeed in killing him, he suddenly heard him groan. Then the Alpha collapsed and fell to the ground. When he looked up, Hannibal saw the beautiful slave with a big stone in his hand looking him straight in the eyes. In the first moment, Hannibal thought the slave would now also hit him, but he did not. He dropped the stone and disappeared as fast as he had come, back to the tree. Hannibal looked after him with admiration. The man had saved his life for the second time that night! He had even climbed down from his safe place to kill Hannibal's attacker with a stone, as he could not aim safely in the dark with the bow and arrow.

Neither Hannibal himself nor the other opponent were as brightly lit as the two slaves. So it had to be important to the man in the tree that he wouldn't hurt Hannibal with the arrow. This thought filled Hannibal with warmth. However, he did not allow himself to think any further about it. The horns had to sound at any moment. He quickly took both masks from the two slaves and the masks from the attacker and strapped them around his belt. 

He noticed that the attacker was Randall Tier. The man had collected eleven masks, so it was possible that he had taken off Gideon and Budge's masks but Hannibal doubted it. A man like Tier was quite able to kill eleven slaves in one night. If he had also taken his opponent's masks, then he should have had more, so it was most likely that Dolarhyde had killed the two men. Hannibal knew from the beginning that the man that called himself Red Dragon was dangerous. 

At that moment the horns blasted. Finally! The ceremony was over. But before he went back to the big square where he knew the sedan chairs would be waiting for him, he turned around once more and looked at the slave whose silhouette could now be seen in the light of the first rays of the sun.

"Wait here until the horns sound again. Dolarhyde won't hesitate to collect your mask too, even if the ceremony is over now. Only when you hear the horns again you are safe to leave the tree, because then all the opponents who are still alive will be back at the ceremony square,” Hannibal explained. 

He knew that he gave this information to the slave not only because the man had saved his life twice, but because everything in Hannibal wanted the beautiful young man to live.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh God, you are so amazing. I never expected so many wonderful comments. Thank you so much! I love you guys!  
I created a map so you can see where Hannibal and Will live.  
Enjoy this chapter! ^^

Despite the early hour, the large meeting place was completely overcrowded. The pink morning mood was almost refreshing, but appearances were deceptive. It never really got cold in Sartagos.

Hannibal knew from stories that there were seasons in other regions of the world. In some areas, the cold never disappeared. He had heard of frozen rain falling from the sky in white flakes, turning meadows and fields into white glistering deserts. He had never seen these countries though. Of course he had seen other countries when they had to fight their enemies or when they were on raids, but they never got very far. All the wars and raids happened more or less in the neighborhood. The farthest country he's ever been to was Ordos. There were winters there, but nobody was crazy enough to plunder the land in winter. The horses would get stuck in the man-high snow.

As the adventurous child he once was, he always wanted to visit these areas. Together with his sister, he had studied the maps for hours and they had fantasized about travelling to foreign countries. Hannibal wanted to visit the so-called Unexplored Distance. It drove him crazy not to know what there was because the maps just ended there. Most people thought that there was still land, but no one knew for sure. His childlike self back then was very seduced to solve this mystery. Misha always wanted to see the sea. She was fascinated by the idea that you would only see water to the horizon. Hannibal didn't know if the descriptions were true, but he had to admit that it sounded interesting.

So he promised his sister he would accompany her. Unfortunately, it never happened. He had never gotten out of Sartagos and Misha had been dead for a long time. The thought of losing his little sister was still painful, even more than the death of his parents. Hannibal shook his head to shake off the sad memories and went on resolutely. At the moment, he had other problems to think about. There was no time for weakness.

The people were still celebrating. Of course, they used every occasion to party and the ceremony was one of the biggest festivals in this country. This wasn't a surprise knowing that not only did the festival take place only every five years, but the food and drinks were also provided by the palace on that day. Who didn't want free food, especially delicacies that most people would never be able to afford?

Slowly Hannibal crossed the area and went towards the large ornamented podium.

The platform itself was made of dark Lartos wood. It was wrapped in long artfully embroidered lengths of fabric. This time the heavy velvet fabric was in dark pink. The Scrulla embroidery was as colourful as ever. The magnificent needleworks were redesigned for each ceremony and Hannibal regretted that he never had enough time to admire them. He could imagine how many hours the diligent hands of the embroiderers had worked on it.

Automatically, the crowd parted to let him through. He had always loved this moment, to return to his people, knowing that he had proven himself worthy to rule for another five years. But this time it was different. He could only beg the holy mother Machbra that he had enough masks to be victorious. And deep down he also hoped that the beautiful slave would arrive safely at the place. Hannibal thought it possible that the Red Dragon still had allies somewhere who might wait for the poor young man and kill him.

However, Hannibal also knew that the slave was smart enough to be careful, especially since Hannibal had warned him. It was strange that he was still so concerned about the well-being of the slave when his own life was hanging by a thread.

Hannibal had few illusions about what would happen if he didn't win the ceremony this time. Francis Dolarhyde had already proved during the ceremony that he was a man who didn't shy away from playing against the rules. He certainly wouldn't care about the code of honour and for sure he wouldn't spare the life of a dangerous opponent. Before the next ceremony, Hannibal would be executed for some flimsy reason. He was always aware that the moment would come when one of the opponents would be stronger than him. Hannibal just hadn't expected it to be someone who wouldn't play by the rules of society.

A shiver ran down his spine when he thought of what it would mean for his people. He was sure Dolarhyde would be a cruel Regent.

The crowd erupted as the remaining opponents approached the large podium. Hannibal could see the numerous masks dangling from the belt of the Red Dragon.

Damn it! This would be close.

It instantly became clear that all other remaining opponents had collected far fewer masks than Hannibal or Francis Dolarhyde. Tensely he stood in line next to the other opponents and waited impatiently until the drums sounded again. It was the first time that Hannibal couldn't enjoy the spectacle. He had tried to count the masks on Dolerhyde's belt, but they overlapped so it was impossible to calculate.

After an eternity the drums finally stopped and the crowd remained in expectant silence. Of course, everyone had noticed that two of the opponents had more masks on their belts than the others.

Captain Verger joined them on the podium. Hannibal took off his belt like all the other opponents and put it in front of him on the altar. Loudly, the captain counted the masks. Colonel Crawford stood next to him and acted as a witness. Hannibal held his breath. He had collected thirty-one masks, even if he had killed only nineteen slaves himself. He owed the rest to the beautiful slave. Captain Verger finally arrived at Dolarhyde's masks and began to count, but a look into his opponent's face was enough to tell Hannibal that the Red Dragon had lost. Hateful, the other Alpha looked at him. At the next ceremony in five years, it would be difficult to defeat the Red Dragon.

Hannibal was more than aware of that. But he had five years to form a plan. Maybe he should simply execute the man? But wasn't it a sign of weakness to have your only serious enemy killed by order? Even though Hannibal was sure that an execution would have been exactly his own fate if Dolarhyde had won the ceremony, he didn't want to violate the code of honour so much.

"We have a winner!" Captain Verger announced and interrupted Hannibal's thoughts.

"Long live Regent Lecter!" Verger shouted and grabbed Hannibal's hand to pull it up in a winning gesture. The crowd raged and repeated the sentence over and over again.

"Long live Regent Lecter! Long live Regent Lecter! Long live Regent Lecter!..." they chanted.

Hannibal let out a relieved sigh. Normally this was the time when his adrenaline rush slowly turned into an ecstatic feeling which ended in a rut by the end of the day, but somehow he just felt tense this time. Tense because it was such a close call and tense because the slave hadn't returned yet. Where was the slave? Shouldn't he have arrived at the main square by now?

Distracted, Hannibal took the iron crown and sat it on his head.

The crowd cheered even louder. "Long live Regent Lecter!"

Normally this was the moment when an exhilarating feeling spread through him. The moment when he put on the heavy crown when everyone could see that he was the ruler. But not this time! This time his eyes searched for the slave in the crowd and his brain couldn't stop thinking about what had happened to him. Surprised, Hannibal realized that he was really worried about the slave.

***

The morning sun and the rising fog creeping across the ground bathed the orange leaves of the forest in an almost pink light. Will hated that the colours here were so intense. Everything was too beautiful and didn't reflect all the terrible things he had experienced here in the slightest. The world around him should have been grey and black and screaming red. Instead, Sartagos always showed itself in breathtaking scenery. It seemed almost cynical.

From afar he heard the cheering of the people. He could only hope that they praised his true mate and not the Red Dragon. The thought of serving that creepy man filled him with fear. Before he slowly climbed down from the tree to walk towards the edge of the forest, he reached into the small inside pocket of his tunic and took out the remaining Loppos berries. He rubbed the berries thoroughly on his scent glands. The juice of the Loppos berries was strong but it didn't help forever, and who knew when he would have access to the berries next time? He thought again about his possibilities. The forest was locked, so there was no escape this way. Also, there certainly would be soldiers at the forest border to pick him up. So it seemed as if there was no escape at the moment. But that didn't mean he wouldn't find another way sometime.

He had already resigned himself to his death during the ceremonial night, but now that he had miraculously survived, he swore to leave no stone unturned to escape. Even if this meant he had to leave his true mate behind. The thought that he would never see the man again caused him more pain than he was willing to admit, but there was no other option. His family needed him and he had no intention of spending the rest of his life as a servant. Still, Hannibal Lecter was his true mate. And even if the regent would never know, it was good to know that the man was by no means heartless. He was a fighter, and by all accounts Will had heard, a strict ruler, but he was not cruel. Somehow this knowledge made it easier for Will.

As he had expected, he was immediately picked up by soldiers as he reached the border of the forest. They stared at him in disbelief.

"A slave has survived! Seize him!" one of the soldiers yelled.

Will almost had to laugh. Like he would be capable of escaping. His back hurt so much that it was hard for him to stay upright and his legs would certainly not carry him much longer.

He wouldn't get very far, so he just stopped to show them he wasn't planning on running away. At least not right now. Rather rudely, two of the soldiers took him into their midst and dragged him with them.

He knew they would drag him to the main square and he was grateful because he wasn't sure if he would have made it there without help. Sometime on the way he just left his feet hanging. He just couldn't keep up with the soldiers' quick steps any longer.

When they arrived at the main square and he was placed in front of the big podium, he almost fell. But he knew from the stories of the other slaves that it would be considered a weakness if he collapsed on the main square. In that case, Regent Lecter could order his execution immediately. Somehow Will didn't think the Alpha would do that, but it would be bad for the reputation of his true mate. People would see it as a flaw if he showed mercy to a slave. So Will tried to mobilize his last reserves of strength and stared at the opponents on the podium. Relieved, he realized that his true mate had won the ceremony because of the crown he wore.

The thought that maybe his true mate had succeeded in proving himself worthy again because of his help filled him with warmth. Will knew he shouldn't feel that way. The man was actually his enemy. Will had been kidnapped and captured in a foreign country, then he had almost been killed, and now he was expected to serve the foreign ruler. Yes, Hannibal Lecter was his enemy, but Will still couldn't do anything about the feelings that grew in him. They would certainly always be a part of him, even if he managed to escape and the man would only be a faint memory.

Will felt the gaze of his mate on him and raised his head.

The regent stared at him with a look Will wasn't able to read.

"Slave make your decision," Captain Verger suddenly yelled at him. "Do you want to die here and now by the hand of the newly crowned Regent or do you want to serve Regent Lecter forever, hold his life above yours and always protect him, even if this would cause harm to you or the ones you love?"

The captain looked as if he had taken a sip of the sourest vinegar wine from the fields near the Ebenmountains. It was almost fun to watch. Certainly, he recognized Will and was now anything but pleased that he was still alive.

An expectant murmur went through the crowd.

"Yes. Yes, I will...I recognize Regent Lecter as my master and will serve him," Will promised in a firm voice, and was suddenly reminded of the words of the mating ritual.

Oh, Holy Mother Machbra! Couldn't the nature deities of the mountain lands have a little sympathy for him? This wasn't a mating ritual! It was a cruel form of submission to his jail guard! Will was glad that he had been able to rub himself with the remaining Loppos berries. Otherwise, everyone would have been able to smell his feelings now. It would have been fatal if someone had realized he was an Omega.

However, Will would be almost curious to see the Regent's face if he would notice that his true mate was a slave.

Will suspected the Alpha would kill him right away. What other choice would his true mate have? It would be a bad reflection on Hannibal Lecter's character if it became known that fate had chosen a lower slave for him as a mate.

Even if Will had an important place in society in his homeland, here it was worth less than a Housetryfflon, although the ugly animals fulfilled a not unimportant purpose. After all, they made a terrible noise when strangers or wild animals approached their stables. This had saved Will's family's life many times before.

Almost every cold winter, hungry Wachlas came to steal Serblings from the stables. Will almost felt sorry for the predators every time the Housetryfflons screamed and the Wachlas had to flee. Even for humans, the screaming of a Housetryfflon was hard to bear, but Wachlas heard five times as well as humans, so the terrible noise must hurt the Wachlas' ears badly. But despite all his compassion for the Wachlas, Will's family depended on the milk of the Serblings, especially in the winter when food was rare.

Will had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed that the opponents had descended from the podium. The Regent looked at him with his dark eyes and Will couldn't stifle the shudder that went down his spine. He knew he had to look terrible. He hadn't slept for ages, the pain in his back got worse and worse, and by using the Loppos berries mainly to hide his scent he hadn't eaten much for days. The sedan bearers had already arrived. The palanquins of the opponents were splendidly decorated with golden Skrullas. But a simple wooden sedan had also arrived. Will was sure this was the sedan chair for him.

Relieved that he didn't have to walk, he sat down on the hard chair. He would have liked to lean on the backrest but his back hurt too much. Will didn't have much medical knowledge, but he was almost certain that the wounds on his back were inflamed. Will knew that after all the things he had survived, there was still a chance that he would die of inflammation.

But he didn't want to think about that at the moment. Will could only pray that the Regent would be merciful and that he would not have to start his service immediately. Being carried in a sedan chair was a shaky affair and Will clung to the side walls. The pain almost killed him, but he gritted his teeth. Fortunately, they reached the palace quickly. Until now, Will only knew the prisoner's wing, which consisted of raw masonry and iron bars.

This part of the palace was different than anything Will had ever seen in his life. The walls, the ceiling, and even the floor on which the sedan bearers walked were splendidly decorated. Red and orange ornaments danced before his eyes. Glittering gemstones were set in the ground and formed the most beautiful patterns. Everything was so unspeakably beautiful, it almost hurt his eyes.

And this was supposed to be his new home? It was just too much for Will at the moment. Oh how he missed his simple house, the lake and the mountains! And above all, he missed the clear cool air and the wind. It was always steamy and hot here. But he had to be strong. For Abigail, and for his father, and for his friends, he had to survive this hell and find a way to escape.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update took me so long. Maybe the next chapter will be up sooner because winter break is near! YEAH! I hope you enjoy how the relationship between our heroes continues to develop. ^^  
Oh and I made a plan of the palace and put it at the end of the chapter.

"Take him to the green room," Hannibal ordered as soon as they were in the Regent's wing of the palace. 

Astonished, the litter bearers stopped and stared at him. 

At some point he had stopped wondering why he cared so deeply about the slave. Now it was just a fact. A fact that he had to face, no matter the consequences. He would do everything in his power to protect the young man. 

His servant Matthew seemed to appear out of nowhere and replied, surprised, "But sir..."

Impatiently Hannibal indicated to the carriers that they should move on. He didn't have time for ridiculous discussions.

"Do I have to repeat my order?" Hannibal asked. 

Everyone knew what the punishment for that would be. If one of the servants dared to not immediately follow any instructions of a regent, he would be whipped. Everybody knew that. And of course Matthew and the two litter bearers knew it as well.

"Of course not Your Highness," Matthew quickly stressed. 

"However, I would like to politely point out that the green room is already prepared and Miss Bloom is already there. Just as you always wish, sir," Matthew explained objectively.

Oh, damn it. Hannibal had forgotten all about Alana. Of course, his mistress was already in the green room. He always preferred the green room after the ceremony. On the one hand because the colour calmed him down - green had always been his favourite colour - and on the other hand because it was simply the most beautiful room in the palace, and after the exhausting night of the ceremony he always allowed himself to want only the best. Hannibal should have been in the middle of his rut by now. Usually by this point he would be so impatient that he would have jumped out of the sedan chair and ran to the green room. He often started taking off his tunic on the way there.

But this time he felt no impatience to go to Alana. Of all his mistresses, she had always been his favourite. The Omega woman was beautiful and clever - both qualities Hannibal appreciated. Especially in combination. Sex was a pleasant thing, no question. But it was even more appealing to have a partner with whom you could have a meaningful conversation with in between. But at the moment thoughts of Alana were not seductive to Hannibal at all. 

On the contrary! The thought of being intimate with her repelled him. Strange as it was, Hannibal felt it wasn't right. Surprised, he found that not only did it bother him because he needed the bed for the injured slave, but that the thought of sex with the mistress even nearly nauseated him. That was odd. However, he also knew that his rut would come sooner or later. And by then at the latest he would be happy to have Miss Bloom around. So he decided not to send her away but to ask Matthew to transfer her to one of the other bedrooms.

"Sir?" Matthew jolted him out of his thoughts.

The servant looked at him expectantly.

"Yes, of course Matthew. You're right, I forgot. Please send Alana to one of the other bedrooms. I'll go to her later. And send for a healer, please." Hannibal ordered.

The servant nodded and disappeared behind an inconspicuous door in the tapestry covered wall. Hannibal knew that the man would take the shorter route across the servants' stairs, so he could count on Alana already being gone when the sedan chairs would arrive in the green room. Relieved, he leaned back into his seat.

Once again Hannibal wondered at how laborious and long the official ways through the palace were. 

It almost seemed as if the constructors of the palace wanted to ensure that everyone passed by as many of the highly adorned art treasures as possible. As if every visitor should be overwhelmed by the majestic appearance of the Sartagien Palace with its artfully decorated walls, carved columns, virtuoso paintings of the Regent's portraits, and the abundant stucco and gold ornaments. Hannibal had always considered the beautiful treasures for granted. And sometimes he even had the feeling that all this beauty was just created for him as the Regent. Today it became clear to him for the first time that all the opulence certainly also served a purpose. A display of pulchritude that not only served for decoration and joy, but also representation - a demonstration of power and capability.

Not only had Alana already disappeared from the big bed when he arrived at the green room, but Matthew had managed to light all twenty-seven lanterns hanging from the ceiling. These lights were one of the reasons why Hannibal required that the slave was brought here. None of the other rooms in the palace were so well lit.

When his palanquin was parked, Hannibal didn't wait for the servants to open the door for him. He opened it himself and jumped out of the comfortable seat.

"Take off the slave's tunic and lay him on the bed. I want to see if he's injured," Hannibal ordered.

When the servants lifted the slave from the wooden litter, he groaned. It was obvious that he was in pain. 

"Be careful! Can't you see that the man is in pain?" Hannibal scolded.

One of the servants had to support the slave. Apparently he was no longer able to carry his weight on his own. Hannibal could do nothing against the nagging feeling of fear that rose inside of him. Once again he asked himself why the fate of this slave bothered him so much.

When one of the servants pulled the tunic over the completely exhausted man's head, he was shocked and sucked in a breath. Quickly Hannibal went around the slave so that he was able to see what caused the troubled reaction of the servant. 

Holy mother of all gods! The slave's back looked terrible. Fire red stripes defaced the tender skin of the beautiful man. No wonder the poor slave almost couldn't stand anymore. The wounds had become inflamed and even though Hannibal was not a healer, he knew that the slave wouldn't survive without medical help. Verger! The captain had dared to violate his direct order. The disobedient man would pay for that. Hannibal decided at that moment that Verger had to die for this atrocity. Whether the captain's death would go fast or if Hannibal would make the man suffer depended entirely on the slave’s recovery. If the slave survived Verger would die fast, if not…

Fortunately the healer stepped into the room at that moment. Like all healers in Sartagos, she was completely dressed in plain yellow robes. If Hannibal hadn't been so in rage about Verger's mutiny and worried about the slave's health, he would certainly have noticed that she was one of the younger healers. But at the moment he was just happy that at least someone had come as soon as possible.

"Your Highness, what can I do for you? At the coronation I didn't get the impression that you were hurt," she said and bowed respectfully to Hannibal.

"It's not about me. I'm unharmed. But the slave who survived needs your medical help," Hannibal replied, pointing to the slave's back.

"Your Highness...I don't understand..." 

Confused, the healer looked from Hannibal to the slave. Hannibal knew it was unusual to get medical help for a slave. If a slave was sick or injured, they were replaced.

There were enough substitute slaves in the dungeons of Sartagos. No one would burden themselves with a sick slave. Hannibal was of course aware of this and yet he had to help this special slave.

"This is the only slave who ever survived the ceremony in my reign," Hannibal explained.

"With all due respect, Highness, even if the slave has survived the night, he is unlikely to make it to the next full moon. His days are numbered. The wounds are inflamed and he's already got a high fever. The only thing you can do for the poor man is to end his suffering quickly," the healer replied, and Hannibal felt like he was slowly running out of patience. 

So he took a deep breath to calm down. He would have to explain his wishes clearer for the woman to understand.

"How many healers are there in the palace right now, woman?" he asked more calmly than he felt.

"I...why...there are forty-three, your Highness. Twelve of them are still in training," she replied in surprise.

Hannibal nodded.

"And how many do you think are needed to keep my soldiers, my officers, and me healthy?" he went on.

"I think about twenty would be enough," she said after thinking for a moment.

"Good," Hannibal said in a soft but dangerous tone of voice. "Then it will not harm my soldiers, my officers, or me to have you beheaded for refusing to obey my orders, will it?"

Her eyes widened so rapidly, it was almost amusing.

"Your Highness I..." she stammered in horror.

"I will say it only once healer. I want this slave to survive. No matter what it takes. And if he dies, so this will be your destiny too. I hope I've made myself clear enough now." Hannibal looked at her insistently.

The red-haired woman swallowed hard, but then she nodded. 

"Put the slave on the bed. I need hot water, a carafe with vinegar, clean cloths, and clean clothes for the slave" she ordered, addressed to the servants. "And I need Fiongeur balm, possibly even Tormenti juice," she appended to Hannibal.

Hannibal nodded. If the servants were shocked that he demanded Fiongeur balm and even Tomenti juice for a slave, they did not let it show. Hannibal would also not have had the patience to explain to a servant why a slave could be so important that he was willing to use these precious remedies for him. He was the regent, which he had proved again in the ceremony. He didn't have to explain to anyone why he did what he did. Especially not to a servant. No matter if Sartagien people used Fiongeur balm only for high officials and important soldiers, and Tormenti juice only for regents themselves and maybe their families, the slave had saved Hannibal's life several times. He owed it to him! Even though Hannibal knew deep down inside that this wasn't the only reason he couldn't let him die.

***

When Will slowly woke up from a deep dreamless sleep, he first noticed a sour smell and for a fraction of a second he thought that he was still in the tree in the forest. But after a few moments he realized it couldn't be. He was resting on a very soft surface, and beneath all the sour smells he detected something familiar. Something he couldn't name at first. Somehow it smelled like home. Only after a while did he manage to determine the smell more precisely - pine and campfire. Slowly the memories came back. He remembered his true mate and the night of the ceremony, and that he made it back to the big square alive. Then he was taken away in the sedan chair. He remembered the overwhelming impressions when he was carried through the corridors of the palace, and he remembered that the Regent ordered help for Will. From then on, his memory became fragmentary. Will suspected that the fever was already so high that he had lost consciousness again and again. His medical knowledge was good enough to guess that he already had blood poisoning at that time. 

He should be dead by now. Slowly he raised his head to look around. He was lying on his stomach. His back was uncovered. The green blanket only reached up to his hips. The room was magnificently furnished. All walls were coloured jade green and from the ceiling hung countless lamps. On the wall opposite his bed was a large bay window. The green frame was decorated with beautiful inlays. Will liked that everything was green in this room. It was calming. Just like the forest at home.

Someone was entering the room, but Will was unable to turn around completely and see who it was. He only knew it wasn't his true mate, because whoever came into the room was either a Beta or he masked their smell. 

"I see you've finally woken up. I have to say, I've been seriously worried. After all, Regent Lecter threatened to kill me if you didn't survive," a woman's voice said. Will heard the robe rustling as the woman got closer to the bed.

When she stood next to him and inspected his wounds, Will had time to take a closer look. Everything about the woman was bright yellow except her red curls, which shone out. As she sat down on the bed with him, Will immediately noticed that she was hiding something in her robes. It looked like a box or a little pot. Quickly she draped her stole over the bulge in her tunic. Will was almost certain she wanted to steal one of the precious essences she had used to keep him alive. Regent Lecter would probably not ask if there were any leftovers and on the black market she would get a fortune for them. Or she knew someone who needed the medicine badly. No wonder she embraced such a good and unique opportunity.

"My name is Freddie Lounds. I'm one of the healers here at the palace. And whoever you are, you seem important enough for Regent Lecter to have threatened me with death if I don't make sure you survive. I don't think a slave like you will understand how unusual this is. Although you have enough knowledge to hide your Omega scent, so you can't be completely without education. So who are you and why is your life so important to the Regent?" she wanted to know.

Will was overcome with shock that she was able to recognize his true second gender. But of course she did. She would have been a bad healer if she hadn't noticed. She had enough opportunities to get closer to his scent glands and smell them. Loppos berries worked well, but they couldn't achieve miracles.

Damn it! What if she betrayed him? Would he end up as a sex slave then? Or would Hannibal realize who he really was and kill him after all? Will had no choice but to blackmail the young healer.

"I am sure that my second gender can remain our little secret" he said and looked Freddie Lounds straight in the eye.

"Why on earth should I dare to lie to my Regent. And for a slave?" she asked laughingly.

"Oh I think it's important for a healer to keep both hands. And when I report to the Regent that you stole the rest of the medicine you used for my wounds, he will not hesitate to punish you. I heard the punishments in Sartagos are hard. Don't you get your right hand cut off if you get caught stealing?" Will stated.

"Why should the Regent believe a slave more than a healer?" she spat out.

"...a slave you had to heal because otherwise the Regent would have killed you. Do you really want to know who would win this game?" Will replied and managed to look her in the eye without blinking.

She took a deep breath and then looked to the side.

"Well, your secret's safe with me," she announced after a while.

"Yes, indeed," Will said after a moment's thought. "And your's would be safe with me but at some point the Regent will realize that we both lied to him if someone doesn't help me suppress my heats and provide me with fresh Loppos berries all the time. As far as I know, the servants get different food to eat than the slaves. So I'm gonna have a hard time getting something to cover up my scent." 

Will could only hope that he wasn't pushing his luck too far. But he really needed her help.

"Why should I care?" she asked and looked at him angrily.

"Oh I think because Regent Lecter will either assume you're a bad healer if you don't even recognize an Omega, or he'll know you lied to him. In either case, it's not gonna end very well for you." 

"Oh, all the gods may curse you. Wretched slave!" she hissed.

Will had to laugh at the outraged expression on her face.

"Do we have a deal? Will you help me?" he asked, although they were both aware that she did not have much choice.

"I promise to all the gods that I will never again make the mistake of underestimating a slave. We are taught that you are no smarter than animals. What a dangerous and false assumption. But yes, I have no choice but to continue helping you. At least for now," she added and Will knew he had to be careful.

"You're not the first person to make that mistake. I think it's to this wrong assessment that I owe the fact that I'm still alive," Will replied with a grin.

That he also had to owe it to his true mate he kept to himself.

"I don't want to know what you're blackmailing the regent with, that your life was so important to him, but believe me the man is merciless. He will destroy you if he has the chance," she warned him.

Will was sure she was right. However, he had not blackmailed Hannibal Lecter. The Regent helped him of his own free will, whatever reason he might have for it. 


End file.
